Happy almost Monday. It seems like I can only run behind this month. I read three ARCs and listened to one audiobook in the first couple of weeks this month. During that time I have also spent time in four states, including attending the Charm City Romanticon book signing in Ellicott City, Maryland, with my oldest daughter for a girls' weekend. Driving, flying, packing and unpacking books, visiting with friends and family, and even some work at my paying job, have kept me very, very busy. I am also getting reading to leave again. This week I will drive to Aurora, Colorado to attend readers Take Denver as an assistant to author Sara Madderson/Elodie Hart. I am excited to see more book friends and to meet new authors. But I will also admit that I am tired. This will be my third signing in six weeks with other travel and obligations in between. I am looking forward to some dedicated reading tome to recover. In the meantime, take a look at my reviews of these new releases and add them to your TBR. You wont be sorry. Happy reading.
#BrothersBestFriend #FakeRelationship #SmallTown #ARC
5 Stars
Book three, the final book in the series, can be read as a
standalone and ends with a HEA. It is written in first person from an
alternating dual POV.
Jen has crushed on Abel forever. Abel recognized that he had
feelings for Jen a long time ago. Both of them avoided each other because they
knew her brother Tuck would not be happy about it. But sometimes, things happen
in life that make you reconsider your priorities. When this happens to Jen and Abel, pretending
isn’t a very big stretch for either of them.
With all the small-town goodness, cameos from other
characters in the series, and a rock-solid family patriarch, this book has all
the gooey sweetness wrapped in spicy bacon. No one writes about hot times like
this author, and I have yet to be disappointed. Creative, hot, tender, and
still emotional: they hit all the marks. The Clueless references cracked me up.
There were several funny moments along the way. I adored Abel and that he is
willing to be vulnerable with Jen. He has some baggage and a rep that isn’t
completely justified. Jen has been sleep-walking in her own life. Both were unconsciously
waiting for each other. Though it is sad to see the series end, the bonus
epilogue wraps up the series very nicely. I am beyond excited to see what’s
next.
#AgeGap #CurvyGirl #ForcedProximity #GrumpySunshine
#SmallTown #ARC
5 STARS
This book, which spins off from “Last on The List”, is the
first in a new series. It is written in
first person from an alternating dual POV and ends with a HEA. There are also a
few chapters from Everly’s POV.
When I read the blurb for this I was intrigued. Surrogacy is
a subject that can be polarizing and using it in a romcom is unexpected. When I started reading, I was very quickly
hooked in and did not want to stop reading. Trista is 28, scraping by, and the
product of an extremely neglectful and abusive childhood. She has a dream and
is motivated to realize it. She approaches surrogacy at an agency only to be
rejected. When she meets Everly (Wyatt’s niece) by chance and is offered a
different opportunity, she fully considers her options. Wyatt (38) is the
second oldest of four brothers and the “quiet one” who is viewed as grumpy. He
is dealing with grief from parental loss and a deep desire to have a child of
his own. He runs into roadblock after roadblock in his efforts to obtain a
surrogate until his niece offers to find him a surrogate through her
spreadsheet process. His initial meeting with Trista is gold. They are each
able to tell their truths clearly and trust is easily formed.
This book takes both characters on a journey of personal
discovery and healing. The beginning of each chapter includes headings that I
absolutely adored. Wyatt has had his trust broken in the past and believes that
he doesn’t need a relationship. Trista doesn’t believe she is worthy of anyone
staying around. Reading as Wyatt cared for her and proved to her over and over
that she was worthy of love, care, protection, and all the things she was
afraid to want: heart-melting. These two were meant to be though it takes a
little while to figure it out. I felt
like their initial approach to surrogacy was well thought out and I didn’t have
the ick factor that some readers were afraid of. Though they use household
tools to get the job done, that is not the important part of the story. Wyatt
learning to accept his love for Trista and his desire for her as a wife and not
just a surrogate, is a slow process that is about her and not her role. Trista,
coming to terms with her worthiness and allowing herself to want her child
after never believing that was her path, takes time. Their physical
relationship is spicy hot, and the emotions run the gamut. The animal menagerie
that is introduced is funny and an interesting counterpoint to the growth of
the characters personally. I loved this
book a lot more than I expected, and I am very excited for his brothers to get
their HEAs too.
#Firefighter #FirstResponder #Forbidden #OneNightStand
#OppositesAttract #SmallTown #ARC
5 STARS
Book one in the new King family series is written in first
person from an alternating dual POV and ends with a HEA. It can be read as a standalone, but it is a spinoff
of the Sullivan Family series set in the same small town. Readers may find the
most benefit if they read that series first and understand the history of the town
feud.
Emily is a good girl, a teacher, and the stepdaughter of the
fire chief. Whip is a tattooed, pierced, hot, bad boy firefighter. A hot
one-night stand leads to the realization that though their chemistry is off the
charts, a relationship is not in their future. Or so it would seem. Under Emily’s
good girl exterior is a wild woman aching to be released. Underneath Whip’s bad
boy exterior is a good man who happens to have a dirty mouth.
These two have an original meet cute, sizzling chemistry,
and wonderful banter on their way to each other and forever. They face
obstacles, but Whip has a good grovel. The small-town antics, the underlying
mystery plot (which should run through the series), hot times, and funny
moments made this a very enjoyable read.
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